The King of American Whiskey, has passed away

Dave Pickerell, the King of American Whiskey, has passed away

On 1 November, in San Francisco, Dave Pickerell lost his fight against hypertensive heart failure.

His death has left a great void in the spirits sector. The King of American Whiskey played a central role in the growth of the Maker’s Mark brand. And he put the experience he had gained over the years to good use in recent times, helping dozens of entrepreneurs with small-scale craft distilleries to grow and thrive.

Dave Pickerell used to play American Football, but was also a chemical engineer who set out to transfer the high quality standards in the chemical industry into whiskey distillation, both at Maker’s Mark and at smaller distilleries such as Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery.

He earned himself the nickname “Johnny Appleseed of American Whiskey”, through his expertise and his influence on the production of some of the most expensive premium whiskeys, and his passing will leave a huge gap in the beverage industry.

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